Sister act creates a Pune-Manhattan wardrobe link

Coloney has been working with Pune-based Dee Dee’s Cottage,a self-help group started three years ago to help women from financially unstable background generate income and support their families. The mother of four daughters has a work force of 12 women,some of who are from the slums in Bibwevadi.

While she designs and cuts patterns,some stitch under her supervision and the others do beading work or make coordinated jewellery for dolls and little girls. “There are 18 million American Girl dolls in circulation and the founder,Pleasant Rowland,had wanted them to be an educative tool to talk about different ethnic backgrounds and histories. I took that idea to set up Dee Dee’s Cottage along with Mary specially since there is now such an interest in the US in all things Indian,” says Janet Echols,an American,living in the city for the past five years and who was overwhelmed by the extent of poverty she saw. Apart from providing capital for Dee Dee’s,Echols has been churning up ideas of what would sell in the US and marketing them.

Using indigenous fabrics,embroidery,beading and native weaving techniques,Dee Dee’s has already produced a range of products. “Starting with sarees for dolls and packaging them in Ziploc bags,we moved to making salwar kameez,anarkalis,bubble skirts for girls,kurtis for women,jewellery for dolls and then matching jewellery for little girls too. We kept improvising along the way,” says Echols.

Joining the niche 15% women in India who earn a salary,the women at Dee Dee’s work from home and set their own wages. The profits they make are usually used to pay for their children’s education,medical treatment and sometimes for small treats for their families.

“Some of my friends saved up and bought their first cellphone. I have been using the money I earn to pay fees of my three school-going kids’ and buy them what they like to take in their lunch boxes. Our families also get very excited when they know we have orders,” says Lalsankim,who does a lot of beading work.

For 18-year-old Swati Sanjayvairat,making jewellery for dolls was what earned her the first income. “My sister got married recently and I was able to buy her a vanity kit with my own money. It felt great,” she says.

Knowing that their products sell in American gift stores and reach some of the rich and famous in that country has been quite a confidence booster for the women. “When Mary was first told that our bubble skirts are going to be worn by Parker’s girls,she was so excited she came running to my house to tell me and to see what Parker looks like,” says Lalsankim,with a laugh.

Three years since she first began,and now with a growing number of partners and clientele,Coloney is not losing sight of what is most important. “Dee Dee’s Cottage is about helping each other. We all are ‘dee dees’ (sisters) to one another and what we do is not really a business. When I was struggling for money it came as a blessing from God. That’s how it will be,” she says.